EVANSVILLE — A judge refused to reduce the bail of a man facing seven felony charges for allegedly confining, beating and forcing a woman to perform a sex act last week.

Willie C. Steverson, 24, is being held at the Vanderburgh County Jail on a $40,000 cash-only bond. He appeared in Vanderburgh Circuit Court on Wednesday and was formally charged with sexual deviant conduct, two counts of criminal confinement, two counts of battery resulting in serious bodily injury, possession of methamphetamine and possession of precursors for making methamphetamine.

Steverson asked Magistrate Kelli Fink to reduce his bond to $500 cash, but after reading the probable cause affidavit supporting his arrest, she declined.

According to the affidavit, the alleged victim told police that on March 16 she and her 8-year-old son were walking in an alley near Sandleben Pharmacy when Steverson — her ex-boyfriend — reportedly walked up, struck her in the back of her head and threatened her if she and her son did not get into a cab waiting nearby.

He allegedly took them by cab to his mother’s house at 516 S. New York Ave., according to police, where he allegedly hit her more than 50 times, choked her until she passed out and broke a wall by ramming her head into it — while the boy watched television in a downstairs room.

The alleged victim said she found about 2 to 3 feet of her hair cut off when she woke up, police said.

At one point the woman’s son came upstairs and when she tried to leave, Steverson allegedly hit her while in front of the boy, and then allegedly punched and kicked him when he tried to intervene.

The woman told police that Steverson then allegedly forced her to perform a sex act, after the boy left the room again, according to the affidavit.

After the incident was reported early March 17, police went to the house and arrested Steverson, who was asleep there.

Police said they saw a hole in the wall the size of a human head and a black duffel bag next to Steverson containing various items used to manufacture meth. While being arrested, Steverson told police there was a small amount of meth in a backpack on the bed.